Peyton One of the Greats? Not Quite

[Sweetleaf22]

2/08/2010 By Terence Moore (national columnist for FanHouse)


Peyton One of the Greats? Not Quite

MIAMI -- The great ones thrive in this situation. Everything has gone against you for the longest time. The whole world is watching. Your opponents have admitted often that they are scared to death of your skills. You're trailing by a touchdown within the final six minutes of the Super Bowl, and you're driving, driving, driving.

You're Peyton Manning, seeking to prove without a doubt that you're more than just a bunch of pretty numbers on your NFL resume.

Oh, well.

He'll never live this down.

While this otherwise extraordinary quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts will reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday, he just moved closer to the city limits of the Chokers Hall of Fame.

I mean, you're Peyton Manning, and you're so close Sunday against the New Orleans Saints to becoming Joe Montana, a truly great one, who produced magic 21 years ago down the stretch of a Super Bowl on this same field. Near the end of that one, Montana hit John Taylor in the end zone to push the San Francisco 49ers past the Cincinnati Bengals.

Near the end of this one, Manning hit Tracy Porter for a touchdown. It's just that Porter plays cornerback for the Saints. Worse for the Colts, with the Saints providing little or no pressure at the time, Manning fired into the hands of Porter who jumped Reggie Wayne's route and sprinted 74 yards with the interception for a touchdown.

Just like that, the Colts went from a possible game-tying drive to a 31-17 deficit that became the game's final score.

What happened? Nobody is saying, at least not the truth.

"He made a great play. He made a great play," said Manning, pausing later, before adding, "Uh, that's all I can say about it. Porter made a heck of a play."

"I don't know. I'll let ya'll decide that."

Colts coach Jim Caldwell said something similar, along with Manning's other teammates, but here's the deal: the great ones don't care about cornerbacks jumping routes. And even if their receivers are less than precise, they don't care about that, either. They still find a way to get the job done, and Manning didn't. Not only on that play, but throughout the game -- well, at least after he teased folks by roaring through the first quarter.

There was the Colts' opening drive, for instance, when Manning pushed his team downfield in a hurry while doing all of those Manning things before the snap of the ball -- the slaps to his helmet, the feet stomping, the code words to his teammates that meant something but also nothing. Only a dropped pass by Pierre Garcon prevented the Colts from getting more than a field goal.

That's when you thought Manning understood the deal here. And here's the deal: he had to continue along the lines of using his arm, his mind and his guts to win a second Super Bowl -- and then, eventually, a third one. Then a fourth. Oh, and Manning definitely would need a fifth world championship, but only if he wished to leave no doubt for future generations that he is the greatest quarterback of all time.


ShareThe wonderful likes of Bart Starr, Roger Staubach, Bob Griese, John Elway, Jim Plunkett and Ben Roethlisberger all have two Super Bowl rings to sit one behind Troy Aikman and Tom Brady. Terry Bradshaw and Montana have four.

Manning still has only the one that he managed three years ago against the Chicago Bears, and without a second Super Bowl victory, that one looks like a fluke.

This won't help Manning's cause, reputation or whatever you want to call what he didn't enhance against the Saints. Consider, too, that the mentor was outplayed by his pupil during the game's final three quarters when it counted most. After a slow start, the Saints' Drew Brees, who befriended Manning while playing at Purdue, completed 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards, two touchdowns and a 114.5 passer rating. He also didn't throw an interception.

Not only did Manning have that one, he finished with a passer rating of 88.5 after sitting at 105.7 following the first quarter.

Somebody asked Manning about his legacy right now. He formed a crooked smile, then he said, "I don't know. I'll let ya'll decide that."

We've decided: He's not Montana, not even close.

He's maybe even the antithesis thereof.

[be47320]

we needed another thread like this, ty sweetleaf

[Thunder]

Sweetleaf, throw some ice down your pants, bud.....Ya seem to have a hard on for Peyton and it's a lil bothersome...

[Sweetleaf22]

Its been a hot topic. Never had a problem with Payton actually, untill I started to here stuff about being the best ever. I totally diagree. Had some fun with it and now im done with it.

[Keith]

maybe not of THE greatest of all-time, but certainly one of the top QBs of his generation. For the author to basically call him a loser and a choker is absurd.

[Jahred]

Originally Posted by be47320

we needed another thread like this, ty sweetleaf

lmao

[Sweetleaf22]

Originally Posted by Keith

For the author to basically call him a loser and a choker is absurd.

Fits McNabb a little better dont it..

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Sweetleaf22

Fits McNabb a little better dont it..

certainly fits Donnie Mac better than Peyton Manning, that's for sure.

[smitch124]

Lets let the guy finish his career first, John Elway had a lot to say about his legacy in his last 2 years

[Sweetleaf22]

Originally Posted by smitch124

Lets let the guy finish his career first, John Elway had a lot to say about his legacy in his last 2 years

Thats what sports forums do in the offseason I thought............


or mabey im wrong?



Ben had a lot to say his first 5 years, peyton not so much



all i can really compare for now

[Sweetleaf22]

Playoffs
Top Quarterback /Games Started /Wins /Losses /Percent

Joe Montana......... 23 16 7 .696
Tom Brad............. .18 14 4 .778
Terry Bradshaw..... 19 14 5 .737
John Elway........... 21 14 7 .667
Brett Favre.......... 24 13 11 .542
Troy Aikman ........ 15 11 4 .733
Roger Staubach ... 17 11 6 .647
Bart Starr............ 10 9 1 .900
Kurt Warner......... 13 9 4 .692
Donovan McNabb.. 16 9 7 .563
Jim Kelly.............. 17 9 8 .529
Peyton Manning.. 18 9 9 .500*
Ben Roethlisberger.. 10 8 2 .800
Jim Plunkett.......... 10 8 2 .800
Steve Young ...... 14 8 6 .571

[smitch124]

Originally Posted by Sweetleaf22

Thats what sports forums do in the offseason I thought............


or mabey im wrong?



Ben had a lot to say his first 5 years, peyton not so much



all i can really compare for now

Nah, that's what YOU do, talk about someones ALL TIME ranking while they still are in the middle of their career after one of their greatest failures. Whatever gets you off

[Sweetleaf22]

Originally Posted by smitch124

Nah, that's what YOU do, talk about someones ALL TIME ranking while they still are in the middle of their career after one of their greatest failures. Whatever gets you off

hardly the middle





OK, if he had won the game,,,, IT WOULD BE NON-STOP Peyton Manning, best who ever walked the earth 24-7



dont even try that BS

[Sweetleaf22]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,,,,,,,,,,




I just got off................................

[smitch124]

Originally Posted by Sweetleaf22

OK, if he had won the game, best who ever walked the earth 24-7



dont even try that BS

Well that wouldn't be right either, lets try to avoid the hyperbole in both directions and not forget one of Ben's Super Bowls wins was where he was 9-21 for 123 yards and 2 INTS, its a team game and just stating the team record isn't a very good barometer for the QBs performance.